1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a method for the treatment of infectious wastes and, in particular, for the treatment of "red bag" hospital wastes
2. Brief Statement of the Prior Art
The efficient and sanitary disposal of infectious wastes, particularly "red bag" hospital waste is a problem of increasing concern in most communities. The most common disposal method is in landfills, however, this method is clearly not the best suited with modern technology, particularly since pathogens in such waste are extremely resistant and can exist as spores and other infectious forms for many years in the soil.
Infectious hospital waste have also been burned in incinerators. While incineration would theoretically be an efficient method for disposal of such waste, there are problems presented by the variation in composition of the wastes and the inclusion in the waste of halogenated plastics such as polyvinyl chloride which, upon combustion release obnoxious and deleterious hydrochloric acid vapors or chlorine oxides. Additionally, incineration is subject to misoperation. In the typical incineration treatment, multiple chamber incineration is used utilizing a starved air main combustion chamber and afterburner to complete the combustion of the gases generated in the main chamber. Most such incineration systems utilize waste heat recovery and gas effluent treatments to avoid the discharge of any particulate matter. Unfortunately, however, the complexity of these incinerators renders them prone to maloperation, which can generate obnoxious odors and fumes. In severe circumstances, incomplete combustion resulting from faulty control of the afterburner section can form and spread airborne pathogens such as fungus spores and the like. For these reasons there is an increasing public sentiment against the siting and construction of new incinerators for this treatment. The industry thus needs a truly efficient and effective method for treatment of infectious waste that will provide assurances of sanitary treatment of such waste.